Four years on from their previous release ‘Reduxer’ – a remix album of ‘Relaxer’ (2017) – Alt-J are returning with their new album ‘The Dream’. Gus describes it as an “armchair traveller’s album”, stemming from their time in London when travel was heavily restricted by the pandemic. As the title suggests, the destination is America (underpinned by the tracks ‘Chicago’ and ‘Philadelphia’) which the band almost view as their second home. Despite their longstanding relationship with the country, the album itself reflects a change in direction, which they also feel is a central aspect of their musical identity. “It’s a step forward,” Gus tells me, “ultimately our identity is based on being experimental and difficult to characterise, so we’re hoping the album will feel quite unexpected whilst also satisfying our fans. The one thing I feel like they want from us is to keep changing and keep evolving, and I think that message is clear even from our first album: we can’t stay the same, that wouldn’t be Alt-J.”

Discussing their musical backgrounds and how this influenced the album, Gus reveals the somewhat unexpected chemistry he has with lead singer and guitarist, Joe Newman. After meeting at Leeds University (along with drummer Thom Sonny Green) Gus describes their connection as “ex-choirboy meets boy who grew up listening to James Taylor and produces some harmony magic”, having previously been a chorister at Ely Cathedral. Contrastingly, Joe’s musical upbringing stemmed from his father, who was a singer-songwriter in Southampton, but the combination of styles proved to be a winning formula, resulting in the band’s widespread success over the last decade – most notably winning the 2012 Mercury Prize with their debut album ‘An Awesome Wave’.

"The sentiment of a brighter future is key to the whole album, with the intention behind this song in particular being to make people feel good again"

‘The Dream’ is due to be released on 11th February, with three singles ‘Get Better’, ‘U&ME’, and ‘Hard Drive Gold’ already available. Released towards the end of last year, ‘Get Better’ offers a message of hope in response to the difficult times we have all experienced as of late. “I think this is going to be bigger than 9/11” Gus recalls telling the rest of the band with a sense of foreboding, as we hurtled towards the first lockdown in March 2020. “I think it’s definitely the biggest news story we’ve lived through, and probably the biggest since World-War II. We’d normally shy away from current affairs in our music, but this single is very much alluding to the pandemic and frontline workers.” The sentiment of a brighter future is key to the whole album, with the intention behind this song in particular being to make people feel good again. He goes on to explain: “We really wanted to spread the message that hopefully good times are just around the corner after a really difficult two years.”

The new album is coupled with an upcoming tour around the UK and then to America, which will mark the band’s return after a similar tour in 2018. When I asked about going back, Gus reflects: “It’s become quite a complex thing to be a lover of America, I think we’ve all taken a look at the country and thought: ‘What’s going on here?’”. Comparing this feeling in 2018 to now, Gus shares his cautious optimism at the thought of ‘America post-Trump’, but how, overall, he and the band are “just excited to be touring again” in the wake of the pandemic.

"I think that message is clear even from our first album: we can’t stay the same, that wouldn’t be Alt-J"

After hearing about their complicated love affair with America, I asked for their perspective on the somewhat comparable relationship between Britain and the EU, post-Brexit. “We’re fortunate as we’re slightly protected from the real headaches of it, having such a great team supporting us. But I think it’s a massive shame that the up-and-coming bands are really going to suffer the most. When we started out all you needed was a car and enough money for petrol, so now needing a work permit and a visa, and all the other paperwork… It’s going to be so damaging for the grassroots.” Although this has been heavily reported in the news, Gus went on to discuss the often-overlooked impact on the crews supporting the bands, especially whilst also having to contend with the effects of the pandemic. “My crew are some of my closest friends in the world, and the impact on them has meant working on building sites, or as delivery drivers to keep a roof over their heads in some cases. You know, before all this if you booked a show in Manila, barring a hurricane or some other act of God, you knew you’d be playing in Manila in nine months’ time. Now we just have no idea.”

This uncertainty has been worsened by the government’s handling of the arts both in relation to Brexit, and the pandemic. When I mentioned this, Gus replied: “I think unfortunately the government tends to take our cultural scene for granted; they’re pleased to show it off and flap it around when it suits them, but then they’re not really willing to help in any meaningful way. There were some provisions made available during the pandemic, but only after much noise and complaint was made by the sector.” Despite this, he remains hopeful of a future return to Europe: “We will always consider ourselves a European band and we love touring the EU – being in Paris one day, Berlin the next, then off to Vienna, it’s very exciting, whereas parts of the UK can just feel a bit same-y. I’m just grateful that we were around in a time before Brexit, when we could take full advantage of it.”

Overall, Gus makes it clear to me that the message of ‘Get Better’ is central to the album, but also to the band’s view of music as a whole. “In the past few years, things have completely fallen off a cliff, but I do cling to my faith that people fundamentally want to gather together, to hear music, watch music, and to have shared experiences”, a part of our lives which has been radically altered for the nearly two years now. He ends by telling me, “I really believe that getting out of your front door is where real life begins. That’s why I love touring, seeing other bands and meeting new people, rather than just being stuck in the narrow tunnels of an online world. We’re not ready to all just live in the metaverse yet… I hope.”